Hog Pen Barbecue — Restaurant in Osceola

An Oasis in the Arkansas Countryside

I was in the Osceola area for business meetings and was tasked by one of my colleagues to cater a lunch for 10 people. I was directed to the Hog Pen as the closest place to get food for a group. I must have driven past the non-descript building a million times and never even noticed it. The Hog Pen is a local mecca for barbecue in the area.

When I arrived, I was lucky to have just beaten the lunch rush and the kind staff helped me put together a lunch for twelve people. My order had pulled pork, dry-rubbed ribs, smoked chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, and peach cobbler. The staff also provided me with buns, cutlery, napkins, sauces and everything else needed for a catered lunch.

The food was exceptional, as I have had Barbecue from all over the US and can make a qualified statement about the flavour and quality. The chicken and ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and had an excellent smokiness. The rub was not overpowering and the flavour was mild with just a little touch of heat. The Pulling pork was soft and smoky and went well with the sauce provided by the Hog Pen team.

In the end, there was not one scrap of food left as every morsel of food was eaten by the Big River Steel team whom I had brought the lunch for. I had tried a little of each of the items in the order and was pleasantly surprised. On my way back to my hotel, I stopped at the Hog Pen and bought a pulled pork sandwich...

We had a hankering for some BBQ while heading back north from Hot Springs. Being from the Chicago area, it's always interesting to go off the beaten path into more rural/farming communities. After missing the exit to a BBQ place about 20 miles south, I Googled and located Hog Pen. Stopped in and found the place clean (including the bathroom), the service friendly and informative, and the food pretty darn good. My husband had the half slab of ribs and I had the pork steak... Which I think is one of their specialties. He seemed to enjoy the ribs and the pork steak was great. Something different than most places offer. The pork steak didn't have tons of fat to cut off, which I appreciated. It was tender enough to not require a knife either. The sides and bbq sauce were good. I wouldn't say they blew me away, but really I had no complaints whatsoever either. I would definitely stop back again the next time passing...

As I walked in the door the thinly hued smoke of a master Qs offerings hung sweetly on the salivating taste buds in my mouth. Warmly welcomed, with smiling faces set aglow at the prospect of serving another customer, I was led to a table freshly scrubbed from scant remnants of the partons who had just inhabited it before me. Handed a white foam cup, I was instructed as to helping myself to sweet tea at such a level of glorious sweetness that I faintly could restrain myself from partaking in order to save room for the succulent meal that was to come. Ain't no use using fancy words, BBQ sandwich, baked beans and slaw, it...